The present invention relates to labels and, more particularly, to a uniquely configured container label having a piggyback panel. The container label is specifically configured for mounting on a container utilizing conventional labeling machinery.
In the prior art there exist container labels comprised of a base panel carrying a typically smaller piggyback panel. The piggyback panel is generally centered on the base panel within an interior region of the base panel. The piggyback panel is coated with an adhesive such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive allowing it to adhere to the base panel. The base panel is typically fabricated from paper stock that is permanently bonded on one side to a container such as a beer bottle. The opposite side of the base panel may be prepared so that it has a reduced amount of tackiness. For example, the opposite side of the base panel may be coated with a release layer such as silicone. The piggyback panel is mounted such that a portion of the marking indicia that is printed on the base panel is not visible unless the piggyback panel is peelably removed.
Because the base panel is coated with the release layer, the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the piggyback label has a reduced affinity for the base panel such that the piggyback panel is releaseably bonded to the base panel. In this configuration, the piggyback panel may be removed such that the marking indicia underneath the piggyback panel may be viewed. A consumer may purchase the container bearing such a container label and may peel back the piggyback panel from the larger base panel in order to reveal the marking indicia otherwise hidden by the piggyback label. The marking indicia may consist of text or graphics, or a combination thereof. The release layer on the base panel allows a user to repeatedly and alternately peelably remove and re-adhere the piggyback panel to the base panel. Container labels that are configured in such a manner include two layers of material in areas where the piggyback panel covers the base panel. However, remaining areas of the container label, such as the perimeter area, are comprised of only a single layer of material.
In automated labeling machinery, container labels are applied to containers in assembly line fashion at a high rate of speed. In certain types of labeling machinery, the container labels are mounted in a stacked formation within a stationery label magazine. The stack of container labels is held within the label magazine by guide fingers that are affixed to an end of the label magazine. The guide fingers are disposed around the perimeter of the foremost container label. A spring biases the stack of container labels against the guide fingers such that the foremost container label is advanced toward the end of the label magazine with the guide fingers preventing inadvertent dispensing of the container labels. A rotor comprised of multiple glue pallets is rotated past the label magazine. The foremost container label is held at its perimeter against the guide fingers until the glue pallet rotates past the container label, picking up the foremost container label in the magazine rack due to a coating of adhesive on the container label. The glue pallet then carries the container label past a moving conveyor of containers whereupon the container label is then transferred to the surface of one of the containers.
Ideally, the label magazine dispenses the container labels in singulated fashion such that only a single container label is transferred to each glue pallet as the glue pallet rotates past the label magazine. Container labels having a uniform thickness throughout permit the use of conventional labeling machinery wherein only a single container label is dispensed to each glue pallet. However, as was mentioned above, container labels carrying a piggyback panel have increased thickness where the piggyback label covers the base panel as compared to the thickness at the perimeter area. Due to this disparity in thickness, the biasing spring in the label magazine forces multiple container labels out of the label magazine each time a glue pallet passes the label magazine. The multiple dispensing of container labels leads to binding or jamming of the labeling machinery, mislabeling of the containers and a waste of unused container labels. Furthermore, the jamming may potentially cause damage to the labeling machinery and require that the labeling machinery be shut down, reducing production output.